Price drops at Edinburgh Castle

30 October 2008

As the temperature drops this Autumn so do the admission charges at Edinburgh Castle.

This is the first year Edinburgh Castle has introduced this special off-peak seasonal scheme.

As part of seasonal ‘off-peak’ pricing, prices will drop for adults to just £10.00, while concession and child rates will drop to £7.00 and £5.00 respectively.
Local residents and out-of-season holidaymakers are likely to benefit the most. And the introduction of off-peak rates is likely to support a ‘flattening’ of the season, away from the traditional peak times of May to September.

The pricing move was identified as part of the Edinburgh Castle Visitor Reception Project.

To improve the welcome, the £2.7 million project was completed this year to achieve a series of initiatives to visitor services to ensure visitors continue to enjoy world class service at this must see attraction.

There have already been several milestones of the project, including:

The removal of the old ticket office on the Esplanade to give visitors uninterrupted views of the stunning Castle on arrival.

The creation of a contemporary new ticket office and visitor reception area - offering stunning views over the capital.

The introduction of a streamlined new ticketing system to enable fast-track admissions.

The development of the Edinburgh Castle brand and logo device.

Launch of the Edinburgh Castle official website which allows visitors to buy tickets in advance.

The introduction of striking new uniforms for visitor services staff featuring the new, exclusive Edinburgh Castle Tartan and identity.

Barbara Smith, executive manager of Edinburgh Castle, said:

“We are delighted to be able to introduce this off-peak price. Visiting the Castle is a great day out, whatever time of year. With the seasonal price drop we hope to welcome more visitors from Edinburgh and the Lothian’s in particular. This Castle is very much loved and is a point of pride for the people of Edinburgh, and indeed Scotland. With the treasures of the nation behind the Castle walls, it makes for an enjoyable and ‘proud’ to be Scottish day out.”

The seasonal offer will start this weekend on 1 November and run to 28 February 2009. Book online at www.edinburghcastle.gov.uk to ensure you beat the queues and take advantage of other great package deals.

Notes to Editors

The last time the admission charge at the Castle was below £10.00 was in 2004.

Edinburgh Castle, built on the 340 million-year-old remains of an extinct volcano, dominates the Scottish capital city’s skyline just as it has dominated Scotland’s history. The ‘stronghold of Eidyn’ was first recorded before 600AD and by the Middle Ages, it had become a mighty fortification and the favoured royal residence of Scotland’s kings and queens. Many defining moments of Scottish history have taken place there. In 1140, the castle became the first recorded meeting place of the assembly we now know as the Scottish Parliament. In 1566, it was the birthplace of the only child of Mary Queen of Scots; a son who grew up to unite the crowns of Scotland and England. And in 1689, it endured its last full siege when the garrison became the last defenders of the Stewart king James VII and II.

The castle’s top attractions are:

The Crown Room and The Stone of Destiny where the nation’s treasures are kept.

The Great Hall holds a fabulous display of arms and armour and the ‘key’ to the castle.

Royal Palace, rooms created in 1617 in honour of James VI.

St Margaret’s Chapel, the oldest building in Edinburgh, built to commemorate the mother of David I.

The Prisons of War is an atmospheric recreation of the life of prisoners at the end of t he 18th century.

Mons Meg is one of Europe’s oldest siege guns that fired stones weighing 150kg over 3.2km.

The One o’ Clock Gun, the famous time signal, has been fired almost daily since 1851.

The Scottish National War Memorial is a shrine to those who gave their lives in the conflicts from World War I onwards.

The National War Museum of Scotland, and individual regimental museums.

Panoramic views across the capital, over the Firth of Forth and into Fife, which can be enjoyed from the castle’s walls.

Historic Scotland has 345 outstanding properties in its care, spanning over 5,000 years of history including some of the country’s leading visitor attractions: Edinburgh, Stirling and Urquhart castles, Fort George, Linlithgow Palace and Skara Brae.

Historic Scotland’s mission is: to safeguard Scotland’s historic environment and to promote its understanding and enjoyment.

Historic Scotland is delighted to be supporting the 2009 Year of Homecoming with a series of initiatives including family trails, spectacular events and the creation of a Homecoming Pass for heritage attractions in association with other heritage organisations.

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